railroad Jumbo, even if there's no proof.'
'And that's justice?' Susan said.
'Enough justice for Quirk,' I said. 'As long as he's sure Jumbo is guilty.'
'But he's never said all this.'
'Mostly not,' I said.
'But you know it,' Susan said.
'I do.'
'Because that would be enough justice for you,' she said.
'It would,' I said.
The squirrel had vanished, and Pearl was now staring thoughtfully into the middle distance.
'And if you conclude that Jumbo didn't do it, or at least didn't do it with intent . . . ?'
'I'll report it to Quirk, and he'll have to decide.'
'If he decides to fight it?' Susan said.
'I'll help him.'
'If he decides to let Jumbo be railroaded?' Susan said.
'He won't,' I said.
All three of us sat for a bit, looking into the middle distance.
Then I said, 'May I mix us up some fresh drinks?'
'Yes,' Susan said. 'You may.'
So I did.
Zebulon Sixkill VI
'A bouncer?' Lucy said. 'I can't be with a bouncer, for God's sake.'
'Gotta make a living,' Zebulon said.
'How much living can a bouncer make?' Lucy said.
'Don't know.'
'You didn't even ask?'
'No.'
'What's wrong with you?' she said.
'Don't know,' Zebulon said.
'You're not going to play football anymore?'
'Guess not.'
Lucy stared at him silently, and as she stared, he could almost see her withdraw into the perfect gloss of herself.
'Thank God we didn't get married,' she said.
'Why?'
'It would have been so much harder to leave you,' she said.
'Leave?'
'My family disapproves of divorce,' she said.
'You're going to leave?'
'One minute I'm living in a nice condo with the campus God, the man who's going to be a famous professional player and make millions of dollars.'
Zebulon shrugged.
'Next minute I'm living in some dump with an Indian from Montana who works as a bouncer?'
'I guess,' Zebulon said.
'I wasn't brought up for that, Z. I can't be that.'
'Maybe I can get back in shape,' Zebulon said. 'Transfer. Take care of business.'
'Maybe,' Lucy said. 'Maybe. Maybe. I can't wait for that, Z. The girls in my sorority used to call me Sister Squaw. They were jealous. Now they won't call me that. But they'll laugh behind my back. Last year's homecoming queen. This year's joke.'
'You don't love me,' Zebulon said.
Lucy looked at him silently for a moment. She seemed as if she might cry. But she
